Air flow regulators and noise reduction devices

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises an air flow regulating attachment which may be removably secured to an air tool having conventional air exhaust means at the end of the barrel thereof, which attachment defines an exhaust chamber at the end of the barrel and includes a rotationally adjustable ring which may be selectively set to open and close any desired number of exhaust parts from the exhaust chamber.

United States Patent [1 1 Brown AIR FLOW REGULATORS AND NOISE REDUCTION DEVICES [76] Inventor: Lowell N. Brown, 11612 Bowling Green Dr., St. Louis, Mo. 63141 22 Filed: Aug. 18,1972

[21] Appl. No.: 282,001

[52] U.S. Cl. 181/36 A, 181/36 R, 181/35 R, 181/47 R, 181/64 R, 181/64 A, 415/3,

173/DIG.,2, 173/162 [51] Int. Cl. F0ln 3/06, E2lb 3/00 [58] Fieldof Search... 181/36 A, 36 R, 36 D, 64 A, 181/64 B, 38, 46, 45; 137/455, 505; 55/417, 418; 73/230; 123/188, 84; 415/3; 173/162-163 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,472,323 10/1969 Hall 173/163 11 3,802,538 [451 Apr. 9, 1974 3,223,181 10/1968 Prile 173/162 1,360,517 11/1920 Fuller 131/64 A 1,257,134 2/1918 Shivers 181/36 R 2,950,775 8/1960 Zwayer 181/36 R 723,111 3/1903 Winton 181/64 A Primary ExaminerStephen J. Tomsky Assistant Examiner-Vit W. Miska Attorney, Agent, or Firm.loseph A. Fenlon [5 7] ABSTRACT The invention comprises. an air flow regulating attachment which may be removably secured to an air tool having conventional air exhaust means at the end of the barrel thereof, which attachment defines an exhaust chamber at the end of the barrel and includes a rotationally adjustable ring which may be selectively set to open and .close any desired number of exhaust parts from the exhaust chamber.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures MENTEUAPR 9 0914 3,8 02,538

SHEU 1 0F 2 LATENTEDAPR 9 m4 SHEET 2 [1F 2 FIG. 3

Fl G. 5 FIG. 6 FIG. 7

' AIR FLOW REGULATORS AND NOISE REDUCTION DEVICES It is the object of this invention to provide a simple air flow regulating and noise control device for use with pneumatic tools.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an air tool with an attachment embodying the nature and principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views taken along lines 3-3 and 44 respectively of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary plan views showing various exhaust positioning relationships between the attachment shell and the exhaust control ring.

Referring now in more detail and by reference character to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, A designates an Air Flow Regulator and Noise Reducer attached to the end of a conventional air driven rotary tool B having an externally-threaded outer end 10, a plurality of longitudinally extending air exhaust ports l2, and a tool retaining center bore 14 adapted for receiving a rotary driven shaft, not shown, or the like. The device A includes a shell 16 adapted for threaded engagement with end of the tool B and a regulator ring 18 which is threadedly attached to the shell 16.

The shell 16 includes a main body portion 20 sized for overlapping engagement with the end 10 of the tool B, and anoutwardly presented annular face 22 which is provided with a plurality of spaced bores 24 and a threaded hole 26 adapted for receipt of a removable pin 28 for purposes presently more fully to appear. Immediately adjacent the annular face 22 is an axially extending recess 30 and a second annular shoulder 32 adaptedfor receipt of an O-ring 34. Axially rearwardly of the second shoulder 32 is an externally threaded section 36 adapted for receiving the threads on the regulator ring 18. Along the inner margins of the face 22 and extending axially inwardly therefrom is an annular wall 38. 1

The regulator ring 18 includes a cylindrical sleeve 42 which is centrally provided with a radially inwardly extending annular member 44. Centrally located in the annular member 44 is an elongated arcuate slot 46 and a tool clearance bore 48.

ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION With the O-ring 34 seated in the recess 30 and in abutment with the shoulder 32, the regulator ring 18 is threadedly attached to the shell 16 by turning the ring 18 as far on to the shell 16 as the threads will permit and then backing off until the slot 46 is in overlapping disposition with respect to the threaded hole 26. At this point, the pin 28 is fastened to the shell 16 thereby securing the ring 18 with respect to the shell 16 in such manner that the ring 18 may be rotated only the length of the slot 46 with respect to the shell 16. It can be seen, from examination of FIGS. 5 through 7 inclusive, that this adjustment permits any desired number of air exhaust outlets from all the bores 24 to none of the bores 24. The O-ring 34 which is compressed against the inside face of the member 44 prevents rotational slippage of the ring 18 with respect to the shell 16.

The assembly A is then attached to the tool B by screwing the shell 16 snugly onto the end 10 of the tool B. In this position, the outwardly presented face of the end 10 coacts with the inner margin of the face 22 and the annular wall 38 to define an air exhaust chamber 40 in which air exhausted from the tool B is collected under pressure for exhaust through the bores 24 which are not blocked by the ring 18. It has been found that under all conditions, the position of the ring 18 may be adjusted with respect to the shell 16 to regulate both speed-and power as well as noise obtained from the tool It should be understood that changes in the form, construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts may be made and substituted'for those herein shown without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. An air flow regulating device for use with an air tool having a barrel and air exhaust means integrally provided in said barrel, said device comprising I a shell removably secured to said barrel and including an outwardly presented annular face provided "with a plurality of spaced bores, said shell also including means for defining an inner chamber between said annular face and the air tool in which the air exhausted from said tool is collected, said bores providing external communication from said chamber to said annular face,

a regulator ring removably attached to said shell and including an annular inwardly extending element which includes an elongated arcuate slot,

and retaining means integrally provided in said shell and ring for holding the slot and any preselected number of bores in overlapping engagement with each other whereby to provide a preselected effective exhaust aperture from the tool through the de- .vice.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for defining an inner chamber includes sleeve-like element along the inner margin of said annular face which extends fromthe face to the .tool when the shell is attached to the tool.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the shell includes an O-ring seat immediately adjacent to and surrounding the annular face, and the inwardly extending member of the regulator ring includes a flat portion which cooperates with the O-ring to hold the shell and regulator ring in the preselected position with respect to each other;

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the regulator ring is threadedly attached to the shell, and there is mounted inthe shell a removable pin which projects through the slot in the regulator ring and limits the amount of relative rotational movement between the shell and the regulator ring.

5. An air flow regulating device for use on air tools having a barrel adapted for receiving an elongated driven shaft and air exhaust means integrally included in the barrel, said device comprising a shell removably secured to said barrel and being integrally provided with means for accepting the shaft from the barrel in free-moving relationship with respect thereto, collection means for collecting air exhausted from said barrel between the barrel and the shell, and port means adjustably secured to the shell for providing selectively variable exhaust openings from the collection means externally of the tool, said collection means including the chamber and the ring, and the ring being slotted to permit preselected overlapping of the slot and any desired number of apertures as the'ring is rotated on the shell.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the device also includes stop meansfor limiting rotational movement of the ring with respect to the shell, between predetermined limits. 

1. An air flow regulating device for use with an air tool having a barrel and air exhaust means integrally provided in said barrel, said device comprising a shell removably secured to said barrel and including an outwardly presented annular face provided with a plurality of spaced bores, said shell also including means for defining an inner chamber between said annular face and the air tool in which the air exhausted from said tool is collected, said bores providing external communication from said chamber to said annular face, a regulator ring removably attached to said shell and including an annular inwardly extending element which includes an elongated arcuate slot, and retaining means integrally provided in said shell and ring for holding the slot and any preselected number of bores in overlapping engagement with each other whereby to provide a preselected effective exhaust aperture from the tool through the device.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for defining an inner chamber includes a sleeve-like element along the inner margin of said annular face which extends from the face to the tool when the shell is attached to the tool.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the shell includes an O-ring seat immediately adjacent to and surrounding the annular face, and the inwardly extending member of the regulator ring includes a flat portion which cooperates with the O-ring to hold the shell and regulator ring in the preselected position with respect to each other.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the regulator ring is threadedly attached to the shell, and there is mounted in the shell a removable pin which projects through the slot in the regulator ring and limits the amount of relative rotational movement between the shell and the regulator ring.
 5. An air flow regulating device for use on air tools having a barrel adapted for receiving an elongated driven shaft and air exhaust means integrally included in the barrel, said device comprising a shell removably secured to said barrel and being integrally provided with means for accepting the shaft from the barrel in free-moving relationship with respect thereto, collection means for collecting air exhausted from said barrel between the barrel and the shell, and port means adjustably secured to the shell for providing selectively variable exhaust openings from the collection means externally of the tool, said collection means including a chamber defined by the barrel of the tool and a complimentary recess internally of the shell which is in registration with the barrel of the tool when the shell is secured to the barrel, said shell being annular and said port means including a ring rotatably mounted on the shell, said shell also being provided with a number of spaced apertures providing Communication between the chamber and the ring, and the ring being slotted to permit preselected overlapping of the slot and any desired number of apertures as the ring is rotated on the shell.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein the device also includes stop means for limiting rotational movement of the ring with respect to the shell, between predetermined limits. 